User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1694 Ratings

User score distribution:
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  1. Feb 5, 2016
    9
    This is more of a summary of other reviews because people keep rating 0/10:
    +This is a great game in the tactical sense and why professional reviews love it.
    -Graphic design is bad according to most opinions. and isn't as good as in trailers. i think most people don't like the simplistic futuristic stuff. me too. -a lot of optimization issues and some people recommend waiting for
    This is more of a summary of other reviews because people keep rating 0/10:
    +This is a great game in the tactical sense and why professional reviews love it.
    -Graphic design is bad according to most opinions. and isn't as good as in trailers. i think most people don't like the simplistic futuristic stuff. me too.
    -a lot of optimization issues and some people recommend waiting for patches before playing.
    I wait for patches anyway because crashing the game on ironman can be a serious pain.
    Expand
  2. Feb 7, 2016
    10
    Alien attacks my soldier and causes him to panic.
    My soldier turns around and throws a grenade blasting his squadmates and blowing their cover.
    Enemies finish off my squad. It's ironman mode and I am now doomed and must restart. How I love XCOM! 11/10 will die again Game is awesome-If you like XCOM 1 or tactical turn based strategy, it's a must have. Compared to XCOM 1:
    Alien attacks my soldier and causes him to panic.
    My soldier turns around and throws a grenade blasting his squadmates and blowing their cover.
    Enemies finish off my squad.
    It's ironman mode and I am now doomed and must restart.
    How I love XCOM!

    11/10 will die again

    Game is awesome-If you like XCOM 1 or tactical turn based strategy, it's a must have.

    Compared to XCOM 1:
    -improved graphics
    -better story
    -more and better cutscenes
    -same edge of your seat difficulty
    -new soldier types and upgrades
    -tons of facility improvements and research
    -more destructible environments (i.e. threw a grenade at an enemy on the roof and roof blew apart making him fall to first floor)

    I have not experienced any performance issues that many are giving bad ratings for. My rig is: i7 4770k, 7970 ghz card, 16gb ram. It runs great at max settings.

    I honestly feel the game deserves a 9.5/10. It's almost perfect in my opinion. Tactical strategy games are my favorite genre, so YMMV
    Expand
  3. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    Welcome back commander!
    +Good combat abilities
    +More enemies
    +Mod support
    +More soldier customization
    +Better story

    -Bug
    -Performace Issues

    Score 9.5/10
  4. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    Quite simply the game is brilliant. It looks gorgeous, it plays very well, and it is one hell of a challenge. If you liked X COM the original, then you simply have to buy this. They have improved practically everything about the original. This feels more much more dynamic. Gone are the days of satellite spamming your way to victory. This game provides meaningful choices throughout soQuite simply the game is brilliant. It looks gorgeous, it plays very well, and it is one hell of a challenge. If you liked X COM the original, then you simply have to buy this. They have improved practically everything about the original. This feels more much more dynamic. Gone are the days of satellite spamming your way to victory. This game provides meaningful choices throughout so that you really dont know which way you want to go. And i think that many different paths to victory will be possible. I think this is probably the best looking turn based game we have ever seen. Kudos to Firaxis on a job well done. A sure contender for game of the year. The only thing that slightly spoils it are a few buggy camera angles and some dodgy hang times, but you can forgive it that as they dont spoil the fun. And it is in infinitely better shape than most games when released. But the real gem of this is the mods. Oh my goodness what a year we have in store. Expand
  5. Feb 5, 2016
    9
    Of the negative reviews I read, they seemed to be primarily "The game is too hard..." or "It runs like crap..."

    I am not saying the game runs without a hitch (hence the 9, rather than 10) but I get a strong feeling that the people saying this is making the game unplayable are playing it on **** rigs... I turned it down to high because I got a few drops in FPS when new enemies spawned
    Of the negative reviews I read, they seemed to be primarily "The game is too hard..." or "It runs like crap..."

    I am not saying the game runs without a hitch (hence the 9, rather than 10) but I get a strong feeling that the people saying this is making the game unplayable are playing it on **** rigs... I turned it down to high because I got a few drops in FPS when new enemies spawned and some in the loading screens. Being turn based, NONE of this makes it unplayable... The game runs absolutely fine for me now, only very minor drops.

    As for difficulty... It's XCOM ffs. Don't jump in to a game that's designed to be difficult and then complain it's too hard and thus mark it down... A 1-3 is for genuinely 'bad' games, not because the reviewer sucks at it...

    I've been playing for 4 hours and have not yet lost a soldier (granted I currently sit with 4-5 out for the next 2 weeks, but that's expected) so no, the sectoids are NOT that hard to beat, even with the backup...

    Anyways, rant over stupid reviews over...

    Graphics - Not great, but they don't need to be. The art style is nice and fitting with the previous game, so in short it isn't ground breaking, but looks nice.

    Gameplay - Same as XCOM, little more difficult but not much so far. (Not X-Com - By that, I mean it doesn't have the "OMG I am going to smash my PC" of the originals, when a sectoid blows your entire team up as soon as you step off the lander).

    Story - Couldn't say yet, not far enough in but I'm enjoying it so far.

    Launch - Shaky, but not game breaking.

    As a staunch fan of XCOM and its predecessors, I can not recommend this enough IF you like the style of games.
    Expand
  6. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    Absolutely one of the best games I've played in three years.

    I will not derate a game over minor bugs on launch (Almost every game has some problems at start) This is a fresh blow of air in the right direction, the gameplay is stunning, the new mechanics is stunning, the story is stunning. All in all, 9/10¨ Whether or not you find this useful, try remembering that prejudice over
    Absolutely one of the best games I've played in three years.

    I will not derate a game over minor bugs on launch (Almost every game has some problems at start)

    This is a fresh blow of air in the right direction, the gameplay is stunning, the new mechanics is stunning, the story is stunning.

    All in all, 9/10¨
    Whether or not you find this useful, try remembering that prejudice over simple quirky bugs upon release day is rather foolish as there has hardly been one game without flaw upon release these past years.
    Expand
  7. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    Better than Enemy Unknown in every single aspect. It isn't perfect though as there are some performance issues and some bugs. Still the performance issues are just one aspect of the game, everything else is vastly improved over Xcom EU. From the improved combat, to improved base building, to the new concealment aspect and so much more. This is how you do a sequel! Improve everything!Better than Enemy Unknown in every single aspect. It isn't perfect though as there are some performance issues and some bugs. Still the performance issues are just one aspect of the game, everything else is vastly improved over Xcom EU. From the improved combat, to improved base building, to the new concealment aspect and so much more. This is how you do a sequel! Improve everything!

    Yes the performance issues suck, but this is one thing out of so many things this game does perfect. If you love turn based games or the Xcom series, pick this up ASAP or if you are on the fence maybe wait for a patch or two to come for the performance issues.

    Nothing gamebreaking but it can be annoying, especially when everything else in the game is so damn well made.
    Expand
  8. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    While in need of some optimization, overall XCOM 2 is huge leap forward for the franchise that should please both new and old fans alike!

    PS Turning off MXSAA should help with FPS.
  9. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    Xcom 2 is one of the best strategies in history,the same as xcom only 20 cooler at all.Yes optimization is lame,but I think I will correct in the patches.
  10. Feb 5, 2016
    9
    I really enjoyed the entirety of XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Good game design is my thing - and the combination of suspenseful tactical combat with strategic base/resource management achieves a campaign way more than the sum of it's parts. Firaxis' design is flawless. I've only played 4 hours of XCOM 2, but so far this game has delivered at or above my expectations in every meaningful way - II really enjoyed the entirety of XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Good game design is my thing - and the combination of suspenseful tactical combat with strategic base/resource management achieves a campaign way more than the sum of it's parts. Firaxis' design is flawless. I've only played 4 hours of XCOM 2, but so far this game has delivered at or above my expectations in every meaningful way - I can't wait to uncover more! Expand
  11. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    It is a very cool game with a tactical missions which makes you think strategically and think twice about every your step, This is exactly what I want to feel from a strategy. Good Job!
  12. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    Great game. It's a more fast paced version of the first but with more goodies and customization. Though this one has way more surprises than the first.
  13. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    If you take a look at the bad reviews, they're mostly by console gamers who're enamored with COD and BF, and who're complaining that this game is punishing. This game isn't a first person shooter. This game is also going to be difficult. If you're expecting to walk over the enemy AI, you're going to have a bad time.

    Pros: - Complex strategic layer - Amazing randomized map generation
    If you take a look at the bad reviews, they're mostly by console gamers who're enamored with COD and BF, and who're complaining that this game is punishing. This game isn't a first person shooter. This game is also going to be difficult. If you're expecting to walk over the enemy AI, you're going to have a bad time.

    Pros:
    - Complex strategic layer
    - Amazing randomized map generation
    - Solid story
    - Good/Not great graphics
    - Extremely moddable
    - Difficult and challening

    Cons:
    - Small bugs here and there that should get patched in the next couple of days
    Expand
  14. Oct 26, 2017
    9
    Original Comment from early 2016: I´m a "newcomer" in round-based games and discovered XCOM when Enemy Unknown/within happened and I immediately fell in love with it! So i was looking forward to the new game. I´ve played Xcom 2 for about 15 hours on normal difficulty, when the ultimate rage-quit happened. This game annoyed me with all its rushed demands all the time: Go and get supplies,Original Comment from early 2016: I´m a "newcomer" in round-based games and discovered XCOM when Enemy Unknown/within happened and I immediately fell in love with it! So i was looking forward to the new game. I´ve played Xcom 2 for about 15 hours on normal difficulty, when the ultimate rage-quit happened. This game annoyed me with all its rushed demands all the time: Go and get supplies, go and rescue valen, go and rescue engineers, don´t forget all those damn avatar-upgrades, keep your avenger-micromanagements going, do this, do that - all simultaneously. Ridiculously tight timers in a lot of missions and a general let-down in the whole round-based gameplay concept by introducing that damn ruler-reactions every single time. The rulers are too hard, their actions are illogical and random, I don´t get it. And still the performance sucks (22-28FPS with a i7 4790K / Radeon 7970 GHz Ed. OC machine @ medium/high settings) What a disappointment. ( I gave it a rating of 5 )

    Update 27.10.2017:
    I recently figured out there is a XCOM2 Mod which disables those ridiculous timers during some missions so I gave it another shot with that Mod activated. Now I´m about 30 hours in and the gameflow is fluid and fair, that Mod improved XCOM2 overwhelmingly! No rants or rage anymore, but a fun time and still difficult as hell, at least for me. The performance and overall graphics got better (Using a i7 6700K / AMD RX 480 / 16GB RAM / Samsung 850 SSD Rig, 45-60FPS during actual gameplay @ FHD / Max Details. Cutscenes however sometimes stutter and got some framedrops). You have to install this game on a SSD for the loading times to be acceptable. Also a lot of bugfixing and balancing happened, further there exist some really well done DLCs now. I´m genuinely impressed and upgraded my score to 9 (WITH disabled timer mod activated)! Without that mod I´d still rate this a 5 or 6... Buy, mod and enjoy!
    Expand
  15. Mar 13, 2016
    8
    Updated:
    Their big patch on March 10th picked the game up off the mat. It's now working properly enough to do what it says on the tin, and it does it very well. It's a strong game that improves on its predecessor in almost every area that it needed to. If you like XCOM:EU/EW then you should like this.
  16. Feb 6, 2016
    10
    Horrible performance. Too hard missions / timer. No multi platform. Graphics are bland. Blatant failure until fixed. Dont buy or rent. Not worth it...
  17. Feb 8, 2016
    9
    I love this game.
    I've been seeing alot of people complaining that the turn limited objectives make the game less tactical.
    This is a position I don't understand. That's like saying having a limited budget in a management sim less managerial. There is no real time counter ticking down, you have to be tactical in your approach to survive the turn limit. None of the missions require you
    I love this game.
    I've been seeing alot of people complaining that the turn limited objectives make the game less tactical.
    This is a position I don't understand. That's like saying having a limited budget in a management sim less managerial.
    There is no real time counter ticking down, you have to be tactical in your approach to survive the turn limit. None of the missions require you to kill all of the aliens within the turn limit anyway. You have to make the tactical decisions that let you turn off the timer. You got alot of tools in your belt to get to the timer location, armor that lets you walk through walls, remote hacking with a specialist, blasting a hole in a wall with explosives, a ranger that is still in concealment while the rest of the team lays down fire, the list goes on.
    The turn limit reinforces the theme of the game and provides a link between the overworld strategy and the low level tactics. You are on the clock, humanity's days are numbered, if you take too long the aliens will win. You are a desperate and hounded resistance movement going against incredible odds.
    Another criticism is the reliance on random events. Which I define as a core feature of the gameplay. This game is all about managing risk. You don't put all your Colonels in one mission, you don't dash out max distance into the fog of war, your plans don't rely on a single point of failure. All this risk management has to be weighed against the clock, adding another layer of complexity.
    Finally there are the bugs. This I have no counter to, the game is buggy as hell. Granted the majority of the bugs are graphical, and I haven't run into anything particularly game breaking. Also the text in item descriptions and tooltips outright lies in some places. (HINT: The haywire protocol tooltip is a lie, turrets are NOT permanently under your control). This knocks it down from a 10, but it's otherwise one of the best turn based games in the current market.
    Expand
  18. Feb 6, 2016
    8
    + The tactical gameplay seems a lot more deep than it was in vanilla XCOM 1. The newly implemented hacking mechanics, melee attacks and more meaningful classes.
    + Plethora of enemies, all by far more troublesome than in XCOM 1; Expect sectoids to give you some early game havoc.
    + Pretty visuals, character customization makes it just hurt that much more when your top operatives get iced.
    + The tactical gameplay seems a lot more deep than it was in vanilla XCOM 1. The newly implemented hacking mechanics, melee attacks and more meaningful classes.
    + Plethora of enemies, all by far more troublesome than in XCOM 1; Expect sectoids to give you some early game havoc.
    + Pretty visuals, character customization makes it just hurt that much more when your top operatives get iced.
    + Normal difficulty is no longer a walk in the park like it was in XCOM 1.
    - Poor optimization, I'm running a GTX 750 Ti, which isn't that far off the recommended GTX 770, but I'm still getting awful fps in the base and on some missions with a lot of vegetation. My fps is 30-25 on moderate settings at best.
    - The use of the turn-limit system is a little excessive. While I've had no problems getting it done on normal difficulty, I think the game's difficulty should come from dealing with the alien hordes and the troublesome combinations they can bring up, not having this constant race against the clock. I'd rather risk additional alien reinforcements than having my troops terminated because I didn't make the clock.
    - Strategic campaign seems a little too punishing on normal difficulty. Even though I've nailed every mission so far with minimal casualties(and 2-3 savescums), I'm lagging far off on the Avatar project. I've probably made some bad choices along the road, but I feel like normal shouldn't be that merciless yet. I don't want to lower the difficulty just because of that, as I have no problems in dealing with the aliens mano a mano.

    CONCLUSION:
    The XCOM 2 will without a doubt be a good game in my book after a few patches and/or some possible modding. Reason I'm not rating it higher is because I feel like the game should be playable on Day One without any extra tinkering being needed.

    After reading some of the fellow reviewers thoughts, I feel like people didn't inspect what they were buying at all. Complaining about a 95% shot missing: that's XCOM, baby. Complaining about lucky shots or unpredictable events screwing things up: that's XCOM, baby. This game was simply never intended for these people. I understand the complaints about turn-timer missions as there was only maybe one mission with a turn-timer in XCOM1.
    Expand
  19. Mar 7, 2016
    10
    I'm dismayed by some of the negative reviews here. I've been a fan of XCOM since the original, and this is by far the best incarnation of the game. The developers have listened to all the feedback from XCOM EU, and created a thing of beauty. People are complaining about the timers, but they make missions exciting & force you to take risks, not just sit there chin-stroking. Short of someI'm dismayed by some of the negative reviews here. I've been a fan of XCOM since the original, and this is by far the best incarnation of the game. The developers have listened to all the feedback from XCOM EU, and created a thing of beauty. People are complaining about the timers, but they make missions exciting & force you to take risks, not just sit there chin-stroking. Short of some optimisation problems I'm sure will soon be fixed, this is the game I've always dreamed of. Expand
  20. Feb 7, 2016
    8
    Hello, Commander. You've been busted out of an Advent prison to frantically charge your way across maps in 8 turns or less. The aliens don't know that you're here, but that cache/computer/VIP/whatever is going to spontaneously combust in around 5 minutes anyway. Also, you're going to have to strategically command your troops at 10 fps each time the camera decides to move an inch. GoodHello, Commander. You've been busted out of an Advent prison to frantically charge your way across maps in 8 turns or less. The aliens don't know that you're here, but that cache/computer/VIP/whatever is going to spontaneously combust in around 5 minutes anyway. Also, you're going to have to strategically command your troops at 10 fps each time the camera decides to move an inch. Good luck, Commander (you're gonna need it).

    Let's start with the timed missions. I hated them at first. They completely change the dynamic of what an XCOM game has always been - slow, tactical and methodical progress across any given map to thoroughly obliterate your foe. That being said, they're growing on me. I still feel there are too many of them and the timer should start when concealment is broken, but they definitely add a feeling of urgency to the game which we haven't had before. A bit of patching here, and some modding there, and they could work pretty well.

    Secondly - the performance ranges to woeful to "wow, are these screenshots?". My Core i7 / 980 GTX can blast through the latest games on Ultra settings without a care in the world, but seems to develop some sort of crippling illness each time XCOM2.exe is fired up. Again, something I hope to be patched and modded in the near future.

    All that aside, it's more of the same (but better) from XCOM:EO. Those many little annoyances and quirks from 2012's game have been improved dramatically. I plan to play this one for a good long time, but really you should hold off for a major patch or two before checking it out. No sense in letting some day-one disappointments ruin what should be an awesome experience.
    Expand
  21. Mar 22, 2016
    10
    I created the account to tell you that the game is awesome and I have no idea how you can rate it as low as 7. Most of the negative user reviews are unfounded and misleading, and I’m afraid you just don’t understand and can’t properly use the game mechanics if you say the game is too difficult or not fair.

    In short: Definitely play it! If you loved XCom:EU you’ll love this one as well.
    I created the account to tell you that the game is awesome and I have no idea how you can rate it as low as 7. Most of the negative user reviews are unfounded and misleading, and I’m afraid you just don’t understand and can’t properly use the game mechanics if you say the game is too difficult or not fair.

    In short: Definitely play it! If you loved XCom:EU you’ll love this one as well. Despite some performance issues the game gives tons of fun and instant satisfaction with every successful mission. The new mechanics works great, new skills are inventive, missions challenging and new alien species won’t let you get bored. It’s insanely rewarding and you’ll forget about the world around you.

    My specs:
    rig: i5 3570, 16GB RAM, GTX 970, SSD
    game difficulty: Veteran (normal)
    play style: completionist
    missions won: 44 (25 flawless, 0 dead soldiers)
    patch: minor and later in game major
    game time: 60h

    Let’s have a look at most discussed issues:

    Performance:
    Yes, the game is poorly optimized. On my pc at full HD with AA off I get around 70fps. The rest of the settings is on high. Which is good but there are drops in frame rate now and then, especially during mission loading screen. Last mission also caused some fps drops. Having said that, it doesn’t affect the gameplay but leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Lazy work Firaxis.

    Bugs/glitches:
    During my 60h playthrough I didn’t have a single crash or a hang-up. Action camera works fine. There are some occasional screen obstructions here and there. Also, the final mission was a glitch-o-rama, but a save reload fixed it. Nothing even remotely game breaking. But it could be better.
    Story: Nothing to complain about. Nothing to be ecstatic about either.

    Difficulty/turn timers:
    Too difficult, not fair, no room for strategic gameplay, mindless rushing? Bollocks. If you know the game mechanics, can use the skills at your disposal, know how cover works and how to disable it, use a healthy composition of your squad than you should have no problems at all. At least on Veteran difficulty. Don’t overuse overwatch. Yes, you will use save/load frequently, just to probe the ground and maybe count for a better roll, but that’s a part of the game. In fact, after completing the game it says ‘average turns left on mission timers’ 2.74. I deliberately stalled the evacuation of my team just to wait for more alien reinforcements (=more exp).

    Load times:
    On my SSD mission load screens between instant and 15sec. No complaints at all. Saving the game is instant and loading takes about 5sec. (tip: delete old saves in game folder to speed up saving).

    Ridiculously not fair hit %:
    To be honest, I can’t complain. It was fair to me, I guess. Not even a single 100% miss. 90%? Yes, sometimes, but very rarely. Just flank your enemies, destroy their cover and boost aim stat. Use weapon upgrades, PCS and abilities. Remember that overwatch has some hit penalty.

    Concealment:
    Great new mechanics. Works perfectly. When you know how to do it. Use a scout (some abilities are useful here) to find enemies, put everyone (except 1 shooter) on overwatch, use the shooter (preferably grenadier) to throw a grenade or shoot at the group of enemies. They take damage and run for cover. As they run your team shoots from concealment overwatch (no penalty). Profit. Just use your head and you’ll use this mechanics to your advantage. Again, don’t criticize something if you don’t know how it works.

    Enemies see and attack through the walls:
    Ummm….what?

    No height advantage:
    Yes, there is.

    Music:
    Very strong point in favor of the game. Just love it. It’s tense when it should be (team loadout screen!). Although after 40h it can get repetitive and a bit boring. More tracks would be welcome. Still listening to it after having finished the game.

    To sum it up, after reading many negative user reviews I thought the game would be rubbish. It is not. It’s pure gold. So I decided to do it justice. Definitely one of the best games I’ve ever played. So rewarding and immensely addictive. It puts a big smile on your face and pats you on the back after every successful hit. Good job, commander.
    Expand
  22. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    Xcom 2 feels exactly how the sequel to Xcom 1 should. It has everything i loved in the first game and just more added on to it. The stealth mechanic is fun and adds diversity especially when using some higher tiered soldiers who can duck in and out of stealth. The new found overlay map adds a lot to the decision making process of what type of supplies i need at the moment

    This is not
    Xcom 2 feels exactly how the sequel to Xcom 1 should. It has everything i loved in the first game and just more added on to it. The stealth mechanic is fun and adds diversity especially when using some higher tiered soldiers who can duck in and out of stealth. The new found overlay map adds a lot to the decision making process of what type of supplies i need at the moment

    This is not a "perfect game" but it is a perfect xcom game. Bugs are occasional and are always going to be around on launch (What little there is)

    It seems to me the majority of negative comments don't like the difficulty or the fact that numerous missions are timed. Unfortunately for those people they must not know Xcom because the pure fact that it is difficult, grueling, and punishing is what makes it shine. You will never forget those soldiers who fell under your command. I don't think I've ever been so torn up with deaths in a strategy game.
    The percentage system (Thank god) seems overhauled from the original in that over 70% is pretty guaranteed a kill so no more standing with your shot gun up someones bum and watching your man hit the ceiling.
    There is much more i can say positive about this game but if you are honestly still reading this review and haven't scoffed at-least 3 teams at my remarks you should just go out and buy it. Its like the old Xcom's but better!
    Expand
  23. op8
    Feb 7, 2016
    9
    Putting aside the complaints I've heard about performance, of which I don't have any since I turned down AA, switch off DoF, and had to turn on V Sync; the game is a masterpiece. If you loved the previous game and are not afraid of being removed from your comfort zone of how you used to play, then you will love every second of this glorious game. The saltiness over the occasional timedPutting aside the complaints I've heard about performance, of which I don't have any since I turned down AA, switch off DoF, and had to turn on V Sync; the game is a masterpiece. If you loved the previous game and are not afraid of being removed from your comfort zone of how you used to play, then you will love every second of this glorious game. The saltiness over the occasional timed missions is hilarious. Firaxis have built another challenge for us to get our heads around, accept it and stop acting like children. If you actually continue with the game and make some serious progression you would understand. The complaints of the Advent timer and demands to remove it are equally hilarious. This is a core concept of the lore for this game, get over it. Buy this game now. 8.5/10 as it is now, but with some patches to fix some hang ups and graphical glitches this will be an easy 9/10. BUY THIS GAME NOW & IGNORE THE IDIOTS!! Expand
  24. Feb 6, 2016
    10
    What astounds me about XCOM 2 is how often it’s not **** With such high stakes and so many intertwining systems constantly pushing the player forward, it could easily have devolved into a hair-trigger, save-scumming frustration fest. It doesn’t. XCOM 2 masterfully creates the illusion that the odds are completely against you, while giving you numerous opportunities to Rocky your way backWhat astounds me about XCOM 2 is how often it’s not **** With such high stakes and so many intertwining systems constantly pushing the player forward, it could easily have devolved into a hair-trigger, save-scumming frustration fest. It doesn’t. XCOM 2 masterfully creates the illusion that the odds are completely against you, while giving you numerous opportunities to Rocky your way back to the top. You’ve just gotta stay nimble. You’ve just gotta think. Expand
  25. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    The game is a 10 and I didn't rate it that to troll with the Zero idiots! It's the perfect continuation to the XCOM series,yet it feels independent on its own and it improves so much in terms of gameplay, technicalities and story over its predecessor. The graphics are excellent in par of what you expect from turn-based tactics genre Forget about tall the negativity in some review they areThe game is a 10 and I didn't rate it that to troll with the Zero idiots! It's the perfect continuation to the XCOM series,yet it feels independent on its own and it improves so much in terms of gameplay, technicalities and story over its predecessor. The graphics are excellent in par of what you expect from turn-based tactics genre Forget about tall the negativity in some review they are either sore consolers or some MOBA freaks who never played this genre. The game has steep learning curve for newbies and punishing gameplay for veterans but it's the most rewarding game you can play on your PC right now! Now, there are few bugs like few stuttering here and then but i'm sure it's gonna be patched nothing will effect your overall gaming experience. Expand
  26. Feb 6, 2016
    10
    XCOM 2 is an improved version of XCOM in every way possible. More options, better strategic and tactical gameplay, everything is there.
    I guess there are performance issues, since people mention that a lot, but I didn't have any.
    A good thing to notice is how nicely the Firaxis people got the players out of the comfort zone by including the timers in many missions who need a completely
    XCOM 2 is an improved version of XCOM in every way possible. More options, better strategic and tactical gameplay, everything is there.
    I guess there are performance issues, since people mention that a lot, but I didn't have any.
    A good thing to notice is how nicely the Firaxis people got the players out of the comfort zone by including the timers in many missions who need a completely different approach and this is obviously enraging people who wanted to win the game by playing it the same way, by overwatch creeping. That is not going to work anymore people, you have to think anew!
    Expand
  27. Feb 5, 2016
    10
    Found so many reviews speaking that this is a extremely difficult game and because of this 0/10. WTF?! Xcom 2 have same issues but it is still very good and qualitative game.
  28. Feb 6, 2016
    10
    A brilliant concept coupled with smart design choices results in a hugely rewarding game that over-delivers in almost every area. best strategy game ever.
  29. Feb 6, 2016
    10
    XCOM 2 review: Best-in-class tactical battles with a new sense of style
    Sequel greatly improves on character and setting without ruining the gameplay..
  30. Feb 6, 2016
    10
    I read a lot of negative comments so far... While I can understand them from people experiencing technical problems due to poor optimisation at launch and while that type of game isn't for everyone, I really think the metacritic score based on players reviews is biaised and doesn't bring justice to the game.

    First, I am of the lucky ones for which the game runs like butter. A lot of
    I read a lot of negative comments so far... While I can understand them from people experiencing technical problems due to poor optimisation at launch and while that type of game isn't for everyone, I really think the metacritic score based on players reviews is biaised and doesn't bring justice to the game.

    First, I am of the lucky ones for which the game runs like butter. A lot of folks with better configs are experiencing issues right now, while I don't with my old Phenom II, 12 go of ram and a gtx 960. Lack of optimisation at launch is irratating at best when you pay the high price for a new release, that I can understand.

    But the game, when it works, is a jewel as much as Enemy Unknown was in it's own right. Like many critics, I think the game expands on the previous iteration and really shines when it gets to immersion, squad control and personalization. I really care for my team and did put some time to choose their look, their voices and backgrounds. Those guys are bleeding, dying to save mankind and choosing the right strategies to keep them alive while doing so is intense, fun and rewarding.

    Once started, the game is hard to stop and while playing it, the time disappear: this is the sign of a great game. If you loved the first, I can't understand why you wouldn't love this one. The music, the story, the missions, gadgets... everything is there with new paths, graphics and options. A lot of mechanics have improved if you ask me, but even if you don't agree, there's a lot to love here.

    I suggest you wait for some patches if you fear of facing issues, but otherwise, go ahead and buy it with confidence as it is an easy recommandation.
    Expand
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 104 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 97 out of 104
  2. Negative: 1 out of 104
  1. Apr 22, 2016
    80
    Firaxis managed to improve upon the already great Enemy Unknown in almost every way, with the exception of multiplayer. Unfortunately, the shockingly bad performance prevents XCOM 2 from reaching the status of a true masterpiece.
  2. Apr 10, 2016
    90
    It is a tactical experience without peer, better even than its predecessors. It is draining and agonizing, but in a good way. The high difficulty may turn off some gamers, but it’s worth every second.
  3. Apr 6, 2016
    90
    XCOM 2 is a gem. There is more story in the game, and the ending does not feel as abrupt as it did in the first game.